Boat anchor



NOW 1954 T. GALLAUGHER 3,158,127

BOAT ANCHOR Filed Jan. 5, 1964 10 Thomas L. Gal/augher I N VEN TOR.

Y WFW United States Patent of (Thin tied Tan. 3, 1964, er. No. 335,5tl1

3 Claims. (Ci. ire-see This invention relates to a novel anchor structurally designed and functionally adapted for use on and in conjunction with small fishing boats up to 18 feet or so in length and with or without inboard or outboard power means and wherein a preferred embodiment is about nine (9) inches in height and eight (8) inches or so in outside diameter. 5

To the ends desired the herein disclosed anchor is desirable in that it comprises a blow-molded hollow plastic shell of a do-it-yourself type and wherein the chamber portion can be loaded and weighted with sand (or an equivalent heavy media) and wherein the sand can be dumped or emptied at will.

Experience has shown that best results are attainable by imparting a particular shape or configuration to the ready-to-use shell. To this end the shell is contoured to simulate a huge mushroom. it follows that this unique concept offers many and never-before-available advantages to marine, fishing and sports goods distributors and dealers, for example, minimal shipping and warehouse handling procedures and significantly desirable monetary costs. Significant advantages which appeal to and accrue to the users benefit are, ease of handling, no likelihood of denting, scratching and in some similar manner damaging the boats surfaces. The facilities embodied in the anchor expedite and simplify filling and emptying steps and assure the user that the anchor is adapted to well serve the purposes for which it is structurally and functionally intended.

The anchor can be charged with sand, stones and any equivalent easy-to-handle heavy material and emptied as often as the user desires. Then, too, it can be filled partially with sand and used as a sea anchor for small boats in trouble. It is provided at its normal upper end with an eye, said eye functioning to permit a suitable tethering line (rope, cable or the like) to be attached thereto for handling by the owner of the boat.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention the bottom half-portion of the hollow shell is hemispherical in exterior appearance and is provided at the center of the bottom thereof with an indented portion defining a recess or cavity for an insertabie and removable washer. duced neck and it is likewise provided with an indented portion which defines a similar recess and likewise accommodates an applicable and removable washer. \Vhen the washers are seated they are concealed.

The invention also features a simple attachable and detachable eye-bolt, the eye-equipped upper end of which serves to retain the top washer in place and makes it possible to utilize this washer as a closure for the sandfilling and dumping orifice.

The invention also features the use of a slotted washer, for example, a simple lock washer having a slot for keying kerfs or notches at the lower end of the shank of the bolt therein, whereby to thus dctachably connect the eyebolt with the shell and with the shank of the bolt passing down through the sand or other load confined in the chamber of said shell.

The invention also features an annular web which constitutes a junctional connection between the dished top of the hemispherical base and bottom of the neck. This dished web provides a durable bell flange which assists The upper half-portion is fashioned into a re- 3,158,127 Patented Nov. 24, 1964 in holding the anchor in sand and mud at the waters bottom.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a View in perspective of the boat anchor constructed in accordance with the structural and functional aspects of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a central vertical sectional view with the eye-bole appearing in elevation and which serves to illustrate all of the essential components, shows how they are constructed andassembled to serve the desired anchoring result; and

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view the purpose of which is to illustrate the bottom recess, bottom washer and manner in which it achieves the desired bolt-retaining and loclcng result.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and particularly with reference to FIG. 2 itwill be seen that the hollow body or'shell, which is preferably but not necessarily blow-molded from a suitable grade of plastic material, is vertically elongated. The current intended marketable or production size of the anchor is substantially nine inches in height and eight inches in diameter at the great est outside diametral surfacef This shell comprises upper and lower half-portions. The lower half-portion denoted generally at 6 is concave-convex and hollow and substantially scmispherical in shape. The convex body part of this base or bottom is denoted at 3. The central. bottom portion 1% isindented and provides a centrally'apertured disk-like portion 12 marginally joined at 14 to the central bottom portion ill and defining a shallow recess or cavity for an insertable and removable bolt-assembling and lock-- ing washer 16. This washer is shown in FIG. 3 and is of a thickness to be satisfactorily seated in the recess and is also of proper diameter to firmly seat itself when in position as illustrated in FIG. 2.: The washer has a slot "18 the outer end 2% of which opens through the peripheral edge or marginZZ of the washer. With reference now to FIG. 3 it will be noted that the recess is conveniently designated at 24. The axially centered portion of the diaphragm is provided with a bolt hole'Zd which permits passage therethrough of the lower end portion 28 of the shank 39 of the eye-bolt 32 designated in FIG. 2. The upper end of the shank is provided with an eye 34 which serves in a mannerto be later described. The lower end of the shank is provided with diametrically opposite notches or kerfs 35 which constitute keeper seats and which seat the cooperating edge portion of the keying slot 18 therein. The details are individually illustrated in FIG. 3 and are cooperatively shown at the bottom of FIG. 2. The reduced upstanding integral neck portion of the shell is denoted at; 3! The bottom part of this neck merges into an inner edge portion of a suitably dished annular web dll which constitutes the top of the base and which has a convexly rounded portion 42.. Experience has shown that this reduced neck cooperating with the dished web provides a durable bell flange for holding in sand and mud and as a matter of fact enables the anchor to hold also by suction in the sand and mud. The upper end of the neck is provided with a return-bent portion 4d which joins at 46 with the indented diaphragm portion 48 the latter having a suitable orifice 56 therein. Thus with this construction a shallow well or recess is provided for the second or upper washer 52 which is seated therein in the manner shown and whose central opening 54 permits passage of the cooperating part of the shank 56 of the bolt.

The plastic shell, considered as a structural entity or unit, is preferably but not necessarily, blow-molded from an appropriate colorful and suitable plastic material. The fact that the two washers 16 and 52 are seated in depressions results in protectively enclosing said washers. It follows that the washer-retained lower keeper-equipped end 26 of the shank 30 maintains the washer in place. Or considered conversely the washer with its keying slot 18 engaging the keeper-equipped end of the shank serves to anchor the shank in the bottom central portion of the shells base 6. Then, too, it will be evident that the washer 52 provides a closure for the orifice d and that said washer is held in place by the cooperating eye 34 on the upper end of the bolt. By thus recessing the top and bottom Washers only the eye of the bolt is exposed with the result that the shape of the anchor adapts it to serve the purposes intended with a likelihood of a minimum of damage to surfaces of the boat. The enlarged hemispherical part of the anchor with the dished annular portion 49 facilitates holding the anchor in the sand and mud partly by suction. The user merely fills the chamber part of the anchor with sand by way of the top orifice 59 that is before it is closed with the washer. The sand is held inside the chamber aided by the orifice closing washer 52. In this connection it will be noted that the eye of the bolt rests atop and assembles and retains the washer 52. The eye bolt functions to support the plastic shell filled with sand and becomes the axis of the anchor from top to bottom. Once the anchor is filled the shank of the eye bolt with the top washer held against the eye of the bolt is pushed down through the hole 56 then through and beyond the aperture 26 in the recess 24. The anchor is then turned bodily upside down and is permitted to rest on the eye of the bolt. The user exerts pressure on the convex central portion of the head or base 6, and then slips the slot 18 of the bottom washer 16 into the assembling and retaining keeper seats or kerfs 35. To empty, the user simply reverses the filling procedure.

It is believed that a careful consideration of the specification in conjunction with the views of the drawing will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the invention. Therefore, a more extended description is regarded as unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A boat anchor comprising a hollow plastic bulbousshaped shell simulating the shape of a huge mushroom and embodying a hemispherical base portion and a complemental upstanding neck portion, the hollow shell portion of which is adapted to be loaded and thus Weighted with sand or equivalent media, the top of said base portion embodying an annular dished web joined to the bottom of said neck portion, the central axial part of said base portion being indented and defining a first recess, the latter provided centrally with a bolt hole, the top of the neck portion being likewise indented and providing a second recess having a bolt hole aligned with the first-named bolt hole, a lock washer seated and confined in the first recess, a closure washer seated and confined in the second recess, and an eye bolt passing through the respective bolt holes and hollow part of said shell and connected with said washers. r

2. A boat anchor comprising a hollow shell having a recessed apertured bottom portion and a recessed apertured top portion, the hollow shell portion of which is adapted to be loaded and thus weighted with sand or equivalent media, a first washer seated and confined in the bottom recess, a second washer seated and confined in the top recess, and an eye bolt comprising a shank with a line-attaching eye at the upper end of the shank, said shank extending through the washer and top aperture with the eye of the bolt exposed and engaging the top washer, then downwardly and axially through the hollow portion, the lower end of the shank passing through the aperture in the recessed bottom and being separably connected to said first washer, said lower end being provided with locking kerfs, said first washer having a keying slot extending radially from the center of the Washer and opening through a marginal edge, said kerfs being fitted and retained in the slot.

3. A boat anchor comprising a hollow plastic shell having a bottom portion provided with a recess and said recess being centrally provided with a bolt hole, the hollow shell portion of which is adapted to be loaded and thus weighted with sand or equivalent media, said shell having a complemental upstanding reduced neck portion, the upper end of said neck portion having a recessed portion having a bolt hole aligned with the bolt hole in the first-named recessed portion, a first washer seated and confined in the bottom recess, a second washer seated and confined in the top recess, the top of said base portion embodying an annular dished web having a marginal edge joined to the bottom of said neck portion, and a bolt passing through the respective bolt holes and the hollow portion of said shell and having end portions thereof releasably connected to their respectively cooperating washers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,595,966 5/52 Majors 114-207 2,680,859 6/54 Hultberg 98 3,066,635 12/62 Churchman et a1 114206 FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner. 

2. A BOAT ANCHOR COMPRISING A HOLLOW SHELL HAVING A RECESSED APERTURED BOTTOM PORTION AND A RECESSED APERTURE TOP PORTION, THE HOLLOW SHELL PORTION OF WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BE LOADED AND THUS WEIGHTED WITH SAND OR EQUIVALENT MEDIA, A FIRST WASHER SEATED AND CONFINED IN THE BOTTOM RECESS, A SECOND WASHER SEATED AND CONFINED IN THE TOP RECESS, AND AN EYE BOLT COMPRISING A SHANK WITH A LINE-ATTACHING EYE AT THE UPPER END OF THE SHANK, SAID SHANK EXTENDING THROUGH THE WASHER AND TOP APERTURE WITH THE EYE OF THE BOLT EXPOSED AND ENGAGING THE TOP WASHER, THEN DOWNWARDLY AND AXIALLY THROUGH THE HOLLOW PORTION, THE LOWER END OF THE SHANK PASSING THROUGH THE APERTURE IN THE RECESSED BOTTOM AND BEING SEPARABLY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST WASHER, SAID LOWER END BEING PROVIDED 